Chapter Five: Secrets

Elsie

Mr. Lancaster returned from his trip a few hours after the boys left for school and he had instructed me to make dinner as he’ll be expecting some guests.

After I ironed Jacob and Aiden’s clothes and neatly arranged them into their wardrobe, I went into the kitchen to tackle dinner, not having any idea of what to cook or what his guests might like.

Thankfully, there was a list on the countertop that had been left for me. It was a printed menu for a week which made me wonder if these guests would be staying for more than one night. There were also recipes and specific instructions on how to get groceries.

Some of the writing was by hand. It looked to be more feminine handwriting, but no lady except me lived in the house. It wasn’t Mr. Lancaster’s nor the boys, so whose was it?

The recipes were sorted by date, so I simply found today’s date and I got started on tonight’s dinner of… Mac and cheese and grilled turkey and veggies. Piece of cake, I thought.

I needed money for groceries and had used the intercom in the living room to call Mr. Lancaster's bedroom a couple of times but no one answered. I also rang his home office but was met with silence.

It was almost noon and time was no longer on my side. I had no choice but to go knock on his door even though I was forbidden to do so.

My eyes shifted towards the restricted east wing, home to Mr. Lancaster's bedroom and the guest room. Despite being the sole housemaid, I was not allowed to clean that part of the mansion, but the area consistently maintained a spotless appearance without any indication of external cleaning personnel. This raises unsettling questions, leading me to contemplate whether a ghostly presence tends to Mr. Lancaster's private quarters or if he conceals undisclosed secrets.

I head up the polished wooden stairs to the massive master bedroom. I took a few calming breaths before deciding if I should knock or go back to the living room and keep trying the intercom.

Coming here was a bad idea. This could cost me my Job. Just as I turned to head back down the stairs, I noticed that the guest bedroom door was cracked open.

“Mr. Lancaster?” I called out.

I squinted at the crack in the door. I could just barely make out a blue eye watching me. Strange. Mr. Lancaster has black eyes just like Aiden’s. The lashes of this person looked like that of a woman.

“It’s Elsie.” I swallowed hard when the eye disappeared from the crack. “We are out of groceries. I need some money to…” I paused, realizing I might just be talking to someone who isn’t Mr. Lancaster.

I am certain someone was in there, but before I could walk towards the door, my hand outstretched to push it, the open crack vanished. The door had snapped shut.

Who is the woman locked up in the guest room? Could it be Mrs. Lancaster? I shook my head, shoving the thoughts aside. It can’t possibly be her. I’ve heard rumors that she left home one day and never returned. Poor thing. Living with a monster like Mr. Lancaster all these years must have been hell for her. I don’t blame her, if I were in her shoes I’d do the same, except I wouldn’t abandon my children.

An hour later, the turkey was cooking in the oven, and it smelled quite nice if I do say so myself. I had to make use of the little veggies I saved from the previous night. Even though it wasn’t enough, it looked pretty good.

“Yes, I’ve arranged a meeting with the Mayor this evening.” It’s Malcolm Lancaster’s voice echoing through the house. He was on a phone call with someone. “I can not promise you anything yet.”

Oh! His guest is Lena’s Dad, Mayor Foxwood. Why was I asked to cook so much food if the meeting was just the two of them?

He hung up and headed for his quarters.

“Sir.” I wiped my hands on my dress as I came out of the kitchen. “I called your home office earlier because I thought you were home.”

Mr. Lancaster was standing in the living room, his eyes on the stairwell. “Is there a problem?”

His black gaze was cold as he looked at me. He was still a handsome man, despite his fifty-two years. His dark hair had silvered only at the temples, and his body was still lithe and slim in his black evening suit.

“No Sir… I need some money for groceries.” His eyes squinted questioningly at me and I knew immediately that he wasn’t impressed that I hadn’t begun yet. “Dinner will be ready in time – I promise.”

He dug his hands into his pants and came up with a brown wallet. He opened it and as he counted out a few dollar notes, I saw a black and white passport-size picture of a lady carrying a baby boy. If I'm not mistaken, it's Mrs. Lancaster and Aiden when he was a baby. Jacob probably wasn't born when it was taken.

He almost saw me peeking and I quickly removed my eyes. He gave me the notes and without a word, he made his way to his quarters.

I rushed into my bedroom to change into a fresh dress for the supermarket.

I held my breath until I came into my room and slammed the door shut behind me, and then my shoulders sagged.

Malcolm Lancaster terrifies me. I don’t know what it is, but there was something about what I saw in that guest room that made me uneasy.

Shuffling through my wardrobe, I saw there was nothing to wear. The few dresses I have that are good enough to be worn out were unwashed. I hissed deeply. I took care of everyone else but myself.

In my box, there are clothes from when I used to dress like a boy. I was more comfortable in boyish clothes than in girl clothes. Despite Clarita’s efforts, who even saved up for months to buy me a pink ball dress and tiara for my thirteenth birthday, I never wore them.

As I placed the box down, a cloud of dust arose, and I coughed, using my palm to clear it. While unzipping it, I hesitated halfway, choosing not to open it again as I’m not emotionally prepared for the memories it holds.